A LIKELY CANDIDATE FOR THE OVAL OFFICE IN 2016. OUR ADAM SEXTON JOINS US NOW WITH REACTION FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. AND WHAT ALL THIS MEANS FOR CHRISTIE'S CHANCES. THAT PRIMARY IS STILL A LONG WAY AWAY. WHILE SOME WERE DIGGING GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S POLITICAL GRAVE YESTERDAY, MANY OTHERS ARE NOW RAVING ABOUT HIS WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE SCANDAL HEAD ON. THE POINT IS PEOPLE HERE WHO COULD DECIDE WHETHER CHRISTIE SITS ONE DAY IN THAT OVAL OFFICE ARE PAYING ATTENTION. IN AN EPIC PRESS CONFERENCE STRETCHING NEARLY TWO HOURS, NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE TRIED TO PUT A BURGEONING BRIDGE SCANDAL BEHIND HIM. THE STAKES MADE HIGHER BY THE FACT THAT CHRISTIE IS VIEWED AS THE TOP REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER IN 2016. FOR THOSE WHO SAY, WHO CARES ABOUT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON IF I'M IN IOWA OR NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE OBVIOUS RETORT TO THATS, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT BAIN CAPITAL WAS THREE YEARS AGO. RAY BUCKLEY BELIEVES THE APPARENTLY POLITICAL PAYBACK INVOLVED IN THIS SCANDAL WON'T SIT WELL WITH FIRST IN THE NATION VOTERS. I THINK IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO COME UP AND BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE AVERAGE JOE OUT THERE WORKING IN A JOB AND PLAYING BY THE RULES. BUT MANY GRANITE STATE REPUBLICANS ARE GIVING GOVERNOR CHRISTIE SOLID REVIEWS FOR HIS DIRECT APPROACH IN THURSDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE. THE AS LONG AS THE FACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE STORY END HERE, I THINK HE'S DONE HIMSELF A FAVOR. HE SAYS NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A STATE CHRISTIE MUST DO WELL IN IF HE RUNS. AND HE POINTS OUT THAT VOTERS HERE HAVE FORGIVEN THE SCANDAL BEFORE, ON A MUCH SHORTER TIMETABLE. NINE DAYS AFTER GENNIFER FLOWERS SAID WHAT SHE SAID, NEW HAMPSHIRE MADE BILL CLINTON THE COMEBACK KID MUCH SO CHRIS CHRISTIE'S GOT PLENTY OF TIME. NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING CHRISTIE'S WORDS AND ACTIONS TODAY SHOWCASED HIS GREATEST QUALITIES AS A POLITICIAN. BUT LOCAL DEMOCRATS WERE EQUALLY ENTHUSIASTIC SAYING THAT PRESS CONFERENCE PROVIDED A GOLD MINE